At a US House of Representatives hearing on Wednesday, Paris Hilton called for greater federal oversight of child care programs.and described his traumatic experience in those centers.
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Hilton, 43, the great-granddaughter of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton, has spoken publicly about the emotional and physical abuse she suffered. when she was admitted to juvenile treatment centers as a teenager.
Speaking to the commission on Wednesday, described how she was taken from her bed in the middle of the night at age 16 and transported across state lines to a residential facility where she suffered physical and sexual abuse.
“This $23 billion industry views this population (of vulnerable children) as a dollar sign and operates without meaningful oversight,” he said.
“There is no education in these places, there is mold and blood on the walls. It’s creepy how these places are. They are worse than some kennels,” he said.
Hilton said private equity firms that have taken a larger stake in the sector in recent years are focused on maximizing profits.which leads them to hire unskilled workers.
“They care more about profits than the safety of the children,” he said.
Hilton first described her experience at a Utah facility — which she said has left her with post-traumatic stress disorder from which she continues to suffer — in 2021.and has been a strong advocate for greater oversight of the system.
“These programs promised ‘healing, growth and support,’ but instead they did not allow me to speak, move freely or even look out a window for two years,” Hilton told the committee.
“My parents were completely deceived – they were lied to and manipulated by this for-profit industry – so you can only imagine the experience of young people who have no one to control them.”
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Several lawmakers agreed on the need for greater federal oversight.
“We must always be concerned about fraud and guard against Wall Street vultures snatching up public funds to line their own pockets,” said Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell. “We cannot allow the private equity octopus to put its tentacles into children’s services.”
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